LEIPSIC — Celina was thinking big. But Shawnee played big in the final five minutes to take a 40-32 win over the Bulldogs in the first round of the Division II girls basketball sectional on Wednesday night.
The Indians, who had beaten Celina by 26 points during the regular season, found themselves with only a two-point lead with five minutes left in the game over a team looking for its first win since the second week of the season.
But Shawnee was able to pull away by getting the ball inside to Alissa Stahler, DeAsia Smith and Dionna Lewis, who scored all 11 of the Indians’ fourth-quarter points, either from point blank range or from the free throw line.
Stahler led Shawnee with 13 points. Smith scored 12 points and Allie Boone had nine points, all on 3-pointers.
“We wanted to go right at their post. DeAsia Smith did a nice job, even though she isn’t very tall. I was very pleased with how we attacked the basket,” Shawnee coach Jeff Heistan said. “We were just kind of passing around the zone all night instead of going at it.”
Shawnee (8-15) owned a 56-30 win over Celina during the regular season. But the Bulldogs (1-22) led several times in the first half and cut a seven-point Shawnee lead to two, at 31-29, on a 3-pointer by Lauren Jackson with 5:15 to play.
“I thought we were very hesitant tonight,” Shawnee coach Jeff Heistan said. “I think our kids thought we were going to come in and blow them out. Celina played very well and we didn’t execute.
“In the third and fourth quarters I thought we played better,” he said.
Celina shot the ball well, hitting 12 of 23 on field goals, while Shawnee struggled at times, connecting only 31 percent (13 of 42). But 28 turnovers were costly for the Bulldogs.
Shawnee also had a 24-17 rebounding edge.
The Indians will play No. 1-ranked Ottawa-Glandorf at 6:15 p.m. Saturday in a sectional championship game at Leipsic.
St. Marys (14-9) will take on Bath at 8 p.m. Saturday in the other sectional final at Leipsic.
The Roughriders shut out Bryan 12-0 in the third quarter to take control of the game. They led by seven, 27-20, at halftime and were up 39-20 by the end of the third quarter.
Shania Taylor scored 20 points to lead St. Marys. Makayla Koch had 13 points. Kennedy Lamberson’s 21 points led Bryan.
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